Tag: homeschooling

Schoolin' Swag–Win a Copy of "If" by Amy Carmichael

I haven’t blogged much about homeschooling because for the past two years we’ve been doing a virtual academy.  This next school year, however, due to an overdose of standardized testing, our son’s special needs, and some other factors, we’ve decided to hit the “old chalk dust trail” once more.

So, in my quest for good, solid, cheap (or even better…FREE) curriculum, I began to accumulate quite a list of goodies.  I just couldn’t keep it to myself, so I started a group on Facebook called “Schoolin’ Swag”.  If you are on Facebook and are interested, just search the name and request to be added.  It is an open group.  We’ve been having a lot of fun, and already have in excess of 80 great links for helps, printables, curriculum and more!

Something else going on in the group is a contest to name our homeschool.  Currently, it is “Heeney Homeschool” (I know… *yawn*).  Join the group, offer some suggestions for our school (if we name it, we’ll get attached to it, right? 😉 ), and you may win a copy of “If” by Amy Carmichael.

Come join us!

"The Wheels on the Bus"…and a few homeschool freebies!

schoolbusThis morning my son was apparently thinking of the upcoming school year.  The public school bus comes right by our house very early each morning (we are several miles out of town, so some children need to be ready to leave at 7 a.m. or perhaps even earlier).  I tease my kids periodically, saying (as they are still having breakfast in their jammies), “Well, here’s the bus!  Ready to go?” 😉

Well, today my son made a sweet observation.  He said, “Mom, those kids who have to get up so early…they don’t get to see their parents for 7 whole hours every day!  That’s too bad.  I feel sorry for them.”  Yes, that’s just one of the great perks of homeschooling.  I love my kids, and homeschooling provides the closeness which allows me to know them well enough to  like them a whole lot as well. 🙂

I can’t say I’m quite ready to jump into school yet, but having this kind of outlook (and from a nine year old, at that!) sure helps.

Speaking of helps, here are a couple treasures I just learned about for the new school year:

  • You can find lots of “file folder” games, divided by grades, and for many subjects by clicking here.
  • Click here for an ABC Lap-n-Note lapbook for preschoolers (with scores of links for each letter of the alphabet) from Homeschool Share.
  • At this link, explore Christian preschool printables, from crafts and coloring pages to felt board stories, puzzles and Bible memory cards.
  • Click here for some lifesaving posts for homeschooling with preschoolers (I know this is a huge challenge for us…to keep our Kate engaged while the others are trying to get their studies done).
  • If you want to save money (who doesn’t?) go to the Homeschool Buyers Co-op by clicking the pink sidebar widget (just scroll down).  AND, if you join when you use this link (for free…and YOU get free Smart Points just for joining–spend ’em just like $$$), I get Smart Points toward our schooling materials too.  I found the absolute best price on Switched on Schoolhouse here.  Lots of freebies there too!  You’ll love it…guaranteed.